Miscellany of practical medicine, in Italian

A miscellany of excerpts in Italian translation from Latin texts relating to prognosis and cures for men and hawks, including the Antidotarium Nicolai; Albertus Magnus, De animalibus; the Summa de modo medendi traditionally attributed to Gerard of Cremona; Pseudo-Mesue, Grabadin or Antidotarium electarum confecionum. Imperfect at the beginning and the end.

The texts were copied on parchment in a formal cursive Gothic bookhand, possibly by a French scribe and possibly for Bernardo di Pantaleoni of Florence (f. 43r).

Contents

1. ff. 1r-6r: Nicolaus Salernitanus, Antidotarium, excerpts, in Italian translation.

The Antidotarium Nicolai is a well-known twelfth-century pharmacopoeial collection of medical compounds in Latin ascribed to a Nicolaus of Salerno. The text was almost immediately translated into a number of vernacular European languages, and was printed in Venice in 1471 (ISTC in00160000). For the Latin text, see eTK, A digital resource based on Lynn Thorndike and Pearl Kibre, A Catalogue of Incipits of Medieval Scientific Writings in Latin (Cambridge, MA: Mediaeval Academy, 1963; with supplements in 1965 and 1968), nos 490B and 490C*; Faye M. Getz in Dizionario Biografico della Storia della Medicina e delle Scienze Naturali (Liber Amicorum), ed. Roy Porter, 4 vols (Milan: Franco Maria Ricci, 1985-1988), vol. 4 (1988), p. 170; Faith Wallis, 'Nicholas of Salerno' in Medieval Science, Technology, and Medicine: An Encyclopedia, ed. T. Glick, S. J. Livesey and F. Wallis (New York: Routledge, 2005), pp. 368-9.

For manuscript copies of the Latin text in the Wellcome Library, see MSS 134, 536, 544, 557 and 712. For similar, but apparently not identical, medieval translations in Italian in ten other manuscripts, see Lucia Fontanella, Un volgarizzamento tardo duecentesco fiorentino dell' 'Antidotarium Nicolai', Montréal, 'McGill University, Osler Library 7628' (Alessandria: Edizioni dell'Orso, 2000); Ilaria Zamuner, 'Un volgarizzamento fiorentino dell'Antidotarium Nicolai (sec. XIII ex.)', in 'Diverse voci fanno dolci note': L'Opera del Vocabolario Italiano per Pietro G. Beltrami, ed. P. Larson, P. Squillacioti and G. Vaccaro (Alessandria: Edizioni dell'Orso, 2013), pp. 155-7.

f. 1r: Beginning imperfect: [Pilole diacastoree] … giafarano. zenzeuro. piratro. euforbio. elazefo … et formale a modo di cecere o di pepere / (line 4) Pilole optomere. çoe. di octo specie purgano gliumori spissi del capo clarifica el viso ...

f. 6r lines 9-10: Explicit: ... Anco lo sestario [?] medicinale del vino over dello acceto chessi pone in li umguenti o uoi in le medicine. lo suo peso sono. librae. 2. 5. Et questo basti per ora.

2. ff. 6r-11v: Albertus Magnus, De animalibus, Book XXIII, chapters 20-21 and 23, in Italian translation.

Albertus's chapters provide three different collections of medical cures for hawks: see De animalibus, ed. Herman Stadler (Münster: Aschendorff, 1916-1920), pp. 1481-7, 1489-92.

Chapter 23 is based on the Epistola ad Ptolomeum, a fictitious letter addressed to Ptolemy, king of Egypt, by Aquila, Symmachus and Theodotion [Theodotius]. Its present Italian translation is similar, but not identical, to the Italian text edited in Antonio Lupis and Saverio Panunzio, 'La pistola a Tolomeu emperador d'Egipte en la tradició venatòria medieval romànica i l'estructura epistolar del gènere venatori', in Miscellània Antoni M. Badia i Margarit (Montserrat: Abadía, 1987), pp. 13-54 (pp. 46-48). As in Albertus's text, the present translation lacks the prologue and the initial description of different birds of prey (briefly mentioned by Albertus in chapter 24). For the Latin text of the Epistola, see B. Van den Abeele, La Fauconnerie au Moyen Âge: Connaissance, affaitage et médecine des oiseaux de chasse d'après les traités latins (Paris: Klincksieck, [1994]), p. 23, with further bibliography.

f. 6, line 11, Chapter 20: Incipit: Da poi chabbiamo mostrato per lettera alphabetale di quello che pare et e utile ala salute del corpo humano qui uogliamo dire di quello che e utile ale passione de gli austori. accio che paia nostro tractato utile et fructuoso in tutto. / Unde e da sappere chel scriue Theodosio. ad tholomeo Re de egypto chesel austure e bisticoso. çoe mostri diuersi signi in le penne ...

f. 7v, lines 28-29: Explicit: … et con lamendola ungi lo pede de laustore. Tre dí continui et samara.

f. 7v, line 30: Chapter 21, Incipit: Ancora questi sono altri Remedij trovati per lo mastro falconieri de lomperadore Frederico secondo. et prima se laustore auesse sinania in lo petto togli garofoli …

f. 10r, line 4: Explicit: … et di questo unguento damane et dasera un poco poni in locchio de austore. et e buono et perfecto.

f. 10r, line 5: Chapter 23, Incipit: Vogliano ancora seguitare la doctrina de molti sauijssimi falconieri diei sapere che se l'austore a infirmitate nel capo vngilo con oglio duliva spesso cercha gli occhi. et specialmente sol dolore mostra fuori de gli occhi …

f. 11v, lines 5-7: Explicit: ... Et non li negare lo bagno daqua fredda quando lo notrichi. per piu suo utile et ale fai ale et a tutte fortitudine del suo corpo.

3. ff. 11v-13v: Anonymous uroscopy text, in Italian, providing diagnosis according to the colour of urine.

The first 28 lines (from f. 11v, line 8, to f. 12r, line 5) are identifiable as an Italian translation of the opening humoral section of an early Salernitan uroscopy treatise beginning 'Sciendum est quod omnis urina duarum rerum proprie est significativa' as found in British Library, Harley MS. 5228, ff. 111v-113r (in particular f. 111v, lines 11-28), also known as the 'kurze Harntraktat', edited from a famous 12th-century French manuscript in Breslau, now destroyed (Wroclaw, Bibl. Uniwersytecka, M 1 302; datable to about 1160-1170), by Albert Kadner in his dissertation of 1919, and later amply discussed by Gundolf Keil in a number of publications. See A. Kadner, Ein Liber de urinis des Breslauer Codex Salernitanus, Medical Dissertation, Leipzig, 1919; G. Keil, 'Die mittellateinische Übersetzung vom Harntraktat des Bartholomäus: Untersuchungen zur Wirkung der frühen deutschen Rezeptliteratur', Sudhoffs Archiv, 47 (1963), pp. 417-55; G. Keil, Der Kurze Harntraktat des Breslauer Codex Salernitanus und seine Sippe, Inaugural Dissertation, Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität, Bonn, 1969; G. Keil, Die urognostische Praxis in vor-und frühsalernitanischer Zeit, Fribourg, 1970, p. 136 onwards.

The unknown and anonymous text that follows (ff. 12r, line 5,-13v, line 16) could be an unknown modified and enlarged Italian adaptation of the 'kurze Harntrakt' [The cataloguer is grateful to Tess Tavormina for her information and help in the identification of the text].

f. 11v, line 8: 'Kurze Harntraktat', excerpt, in Italian translation, Incipit: TRactato di sopra de Remedij che sono necessi [sic] alla salute del corpo humano et poi de gli ostori. con le medicine aloro necesse ora uogliamo dare certa cognicione dele intrinseche infirmitate che viene et puo uegnire a corpi di huomeni et di donne. comminciando da lurina pero che segno assai ragioneuole. / Unde le da sappere. che la urina propriamente e significatiua de do cose. O ella significa passione de figato, o de vene, o de la vesica et de le rene ...

f. 12r, lines 3-5: 'Kurze Harntraktat', Explicit: … et se sera nigro o biancho con subtiglieçça dinota esser dolor di capo in la sinestra parte del capo pero che la e la casa de la mellenconia.

f. 12r, line 5: Anonymous uroscopy text, Incipit: Et piu laudeuole sie l'urina in la qual e superfluitate da la parte aliena …

f. 13v, line 16: Explicit: ... lurina negra et aquosa denota perdicione. et in tutte le etate generalmente.

4. ff. 13v-43r: Gerardus or Geraldus, Summa de modo medendi, in Italian translation.

A compilation of simple and compound medicines in Italian, identifiable as a translation of the Summa de modo medendi et ordine unde corpus sit purgandum et quomodo generally attributed to Gherardus Cremonensis (1114-1187), but probably to be ascribed to a 12th-century physician named Geraldus or Gerardus operating in Montpellier (the cataloguer is grateful to Iolanda Ventura for this information). The present text is a close translation of the Latin Summa as copied in two 13th-century manuscripts now respectively in Kassel and Trier (incipit 'Cum omnis scientia nascitur ex fine et utilitate sua sit appetenda maxime ars medicinalis appetenda est'): Iolanda Ventura, Geraldus (de Montpellier?), Summa de modo medendi, HS Trier, Priesterseminar, 76, f. 57ra-80rb, Kassel, UB, 4 MS med. 20, f. 1ra-26v (unpublished transcription). For attributions of the Latin text to Gerardus Cremonensis, Gerardus Bituricensis, Gerardus Montepessulanus, Gerardus Salernitanus, and other Gerards, see Karl Sudhoff, 'Die kurze Vita und das Verzeichnis der Arbeiten Gerhards von Cremona, von seinen Schülern und Studiengenossen kurz nach dem Tode des Meisters (1187) zu Toledo verfasst', in Archiv für Geschichte der Medizin, Bd. 8 (1914-1915), pp. 73-82; eTK no. 327K; Coralba Colomba, 'Gherardus Cremonensis', in C.A.L.M.A. Compendium Auctorum Latinorum Medii Aevi (500-1500), ed. G. C. Garfagnini, M. Lapidge and C. Leonardi (Florence: SISMEL - Edizioni del Galluzzo, 2000-), vol. 4.3 (2013), pp. 258-9.

The text is imperfect between ff. 42v and 43r due to the loss of two leaves.

f. 13v, line 27: Incipit: Concio sia cosa che ogni sciencia e da desiderar naturalmente per lo suo fine et per la soa utilitate specialmente larte medicinale e da desiderar pero chel suo fine et la soa utilitate e sença misura et laudauole ...

f. 42v, lines 33-35: breaking at: 'Gera rufini ... discuopre le brugnuole de la lebbra et de la Rogna et la', followed by catchword 'morphea'

f. 43r, lines 1-6: Explicit: … ad laude et gloria dello omnipotente dio che in trinitate perfecta eternalemente viue. et Regna in secula Seculorum. Amen. / Explicit, cioe qui comple questa opera di pratica utele et fructuosa in larte de medicina. Reducta in vulgare latino per mano de uno grosso et inutele scolaro come meno male a sapiuto. A instancia et Requisicione di Bernardo nobele Cittadino [?] di pantaleoni di ferenze. Deo gracias Amen.

5. ff. 43r-44r: A collection of aphorisms relating to natural philosophy and medicine in Italian, entitled Regule and attributed to 'Costantino medico' (f. 44r), beginning with the first sentence 'Medicina est scientia sanorum et egrorum et neutrorum' of the first chapter of Galenus, Microtegni, as translated by Constantinus Africanus, for which see eTK no. 858B; the second sentence, 'Theorica est scientia sanitatis egritudinis et neutralitatis in contemplatione', is listed by Thorndike and Kibre as the beginning of a series of aphorisms relating to natural philosophy and medicine in Munich, Bayerische Staatsbibliothek Codex Latinus Monacensis 15953, f. 1v: see eTK no. 1571D.

f. 43r, lines 7-20, 'alcune Regole de Costantino medico': Incipit: La medicina e sciencia di sani et degli infermi e di tutti doi in generale. La Theorica e sciencia de le sanitate cognosciute et de linfirmitate che si die cognoscere ... La pratica e sciencia subietta a la theorica. et ancho e dimostracione in profondo senso et operatione di mane secondo colui che a lo theorico intellecto … Le cose naturale sono che o constituisse naturale fatto o del tempo che die venire … Le cose non naturale son quelle ale quale e imposibile chel corpo humano non apropinqua / Le cose contra natura sono che o impaccia le cose naturale o declara lempattate. / La sciencia de la sanitate e quella per la qual sapiamo inche la sanitate e inchi la si faccia dachi si faccia dachi di diclara. dachi si conserva. da chi sia data et cossi de linfirmitate et de tutte doi cose insieme.

f. 44r, lines 8-10: Explicit: ... o de extrinseco accidente. a che le parte dentro el manda o quelle di fuori lo mena. con particolar operacione. / Complimento dalcune Regole de Constantino medico. deo gracias Amen.

6. ff. 44r-45v: A collection of medical compounds in Italian, including seven recipes for the eyes and thirteen others from Pseudo-Mesue, Grabadin or Antidotarium electarum confecionum, imperfect at the end.

The Grabadin or Antidotarium electarum confecionum is a popular compendium of medical compounds traditionally attributed to Pseudo-Mesue (also called Johannes Mesue the Younger). The recipe texts in the present manuscript are very close, but with some additions, to those in the first edition of the Italian translation of Johannes Mesue, Opera medicinalia, entitled Il libro della consolatione delle medicine semplici solenni, ([Modena]: Johannes Vurster, 25 June 1475; ISTC im00518000), and the subsequent Florentine edition ([Bartolommeo di Libri, about 1492]; ISTC im00520000; recipes in the present manuscript find correspondents on ff. m8v-n1r of the edition).

f. 44r, line 11, Seven recipes for the eye: Incipit: Aqua sollempnissima da occhi. Togli. Sarcaccolla. zenzero ana 3.1 ...

f. 44v, lines 19-24: Explicit: … Elettuario buono per lo vedere. Togli seme di fenocchio … e cosa molto provata et buona

f. 44v, line 25, thirteen recipes from Grabadin: Incipit: Unguento nobele a tutte piaghe putride et generavi carne in le piaghe …

f. 45v, lines 32-35 [i.e. last]: Breaking at the thirteenth recipe: Cerotto andromaco fatto de 12 medicine. Buone contra la frigiditate di nervi ... Togli storaci. 3.10. Mastici 3.12. foglio spice ana. 3.3…

On parchment, of Northern-European origin, with repairs filling the area corresponding to axilla in the animal skin in order to obtain full-size leaves for copying of the text (conjoint ff. 3 and 8, 4 and 7)

45 leaves, with a late 16th- or early 17th-century foliation '16-64' in the upper right corner of leaves, wanting ff. 1-15, 21-22, 60-61, and an unknown number of leaves after f. 64; modern foliation '1-45' in pencil in the lower right margin of leaves, followed here. 233 x 160 mm; written area 185/190 x 135 mm, in single column, 32-35 written lines to a page; no trace of ruling.

Collation: 1² (i.e. seemingly wanting one full quire of eight leaves at the beginning, and the first six leaves of the second quire also of eight leaves), 2^8-2 (wanting iv-v, i.e. the central bifolium), 3-4⁸, 5¹⁰, 6⁸, 7³ (i.e. leaves iii-v, with old foliation '6[2]-64', from a quire of an unknown number of leaves); horizontal catchwords, with some penwork decoration, at centre of the lower margin of the last verso of each quire; no trace of quire signatures.

Secundo folio: et fassi cossie.

Written in black ink in formal cursive Gothic bookhand.

Decoration: Four-line initial T with reserved decoration (f. 11v), and 1-3-line chapter initials throughout, all in black ink.

Binding: Quarter calf and decorated paper of black and white over pasteboards, with paper pastedowns and conjoint flyleaves at beginning and end, bookblock edge mottled in black, 19th century.

Purchased from [Ludwig] Rosenthal, [Munich] on 17 November 1910, together with twenty other manuscripts sent for approval by Rosenthal on 14 October 1910 (possibly identifiable with a manuscript described as 'no. 142. Pharmakologia 14. Jahrhundert' in the list of manuscript sent by Rosenthal, priced '350' marks, and correspondent price '£ 8' in pencil): see note in pencil on upper flyleaf and correspondence between Rosenthal and Epworth and Co. (Wellcome's representatives) dated 14th October to 17th November in Wellcome file 'Ludwig Rosenthal's Antiquariat' (shelfmark: WA/HMM/CO/Earl/535: Box 47).

The names of several male and female individuals, almost all members of the Witmajer and Mitterburger families, inscribed in the lower and upper margin of several leaves, Northern Italy, 18th century, as follows: Anna, Giovanna, or Annetta Witmajer (ff. 1r, 25r, 26r, 27v, 29r, 30r, 39v); Agostino Witmajer (ff. 12r, 28r, 32r); Giovanni di Mitterburger (f. 16r); Maria or Marietta Witmajer (ff. 16r, 27v, 39v); Domenico Witmajer (ff. 29r, 35r, 45v); with a few additional names: Angella or Angello (f. 12r); Guido [?] (f. 18r); Milebrin Piritinajo [?] (f. 1r). A Giovanni Witmajer applied for citizenship at Arco, north of the Lake Garda in Northern Italy, in 1764: see Trento, Archivio di Stato, Atti dei notai, Carlo Tamburini (1743-1793), b. 1, in Marcello Orlandi, La cittadinanza ad Arco. Evoluzione della condizione del cittadino nel corso dell'età moderna, Tesi di Laurea Triennale in Scienze Storiche, Università degli Studi di Trento, Facoltà di Lettere e Filosofia, Anno accademico 2008-2009, pp. 57, 70-72 [available online at http://docslide.it/documents/la-cittadinanza-ad-arco-evoluzione-della-condizione-del-cittadino-in-eta-moderna.html; downloaded on 22 August 2016].

Gustav von Kofler (1821-1884), a medical doctor from Bozen/Bolzano, South Tyrol in Northern Italy, his bookplate on upper left corner of upper pastedown inscribed as no. '142'. For Gustav von Kofler and his archive in Bozen, Südtiroler Landesarchiv, Sammlung Gustav Kofler / Bolzano, Archivio Provinciale, Raccolta Gustav Kofler, see Rudolf von Granichstaedten-Czerva, Bozener Kaufherren und ihre Familien (Görlitz : C. A. Starke, 1941), pp. 71-72; Christine Roilo, in Tutela dei Beni Culturali in Alto Adige 2009 (Bolzano: Ripartizione Beni Culturali and Tappeiner SpA, 2010), pp. 224-5. The cataloguer is grateful to Christine Roilo for her help in the identification of this owner.

Marked '2529' in pencil on upper pastedown.

S.A.J. Moorat, Catalogue of Western Manuscripts on Medicine and Science in the Wellcome Historical Medical Library (London: Wellcome Institute for the History of Medicine, 1962-1973), vol. 1, pp. 195-6. Description enhanced by Laura Nuvoloni in Summer 2016 based on the compiler's own research.